Syssphinx bicolor

Last updated

Honey locust moth
Honey Locust Moth, Megan McCarty130.jpg
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Saturniidae
Genus: Syssphinx
Species:
S. bicolor
Binomial name
Syssphinx bicolor
(Harris, 1841)
Synonyms
  • Dryocampa bicolorHarris, 1841 [1]
  • Sphingicampa bicolor
  • Sphingicampa distigmaWalsh, 1864
  • Syssphinx immaculataJewett, 1882
  • Sphingicampa supremaNeumoegen, 1885 [2]

Syssphinx bicolor, the honey locust moth, is a North American moth in the family Saturniidae.

Contents

Description

Honey locust moth variation Sphingicampa bicolor variation sjh.jpg
Honey locust moth variation

The wings vary from a grayish color to yellow to orange to dark reddish brown, with a variable amount of black spotting and pinkish shading. The forewing postmedial line runs to the costa before the apex. On the forewing, the white reniform spot may be double, single, or may be lacking. The wingspan measures 4.7–6.7 centimetres (1.9–2.6 in). [3]

Similar species

The only similar species in the honey locust moth's range is the bisected honey locust moth ( Sphingicampa bisecta ).

The bisected honey locust moth is usually a little bit larger, has a straighter, more conspicuous postmedial line that runs to the costa at the apex, and lacks a white reniform spot. [3]

Habitat

The honey locust moth is mainly found in woodlands. [4]

Flight

This moth is on the wing from April to September. [3]

Life cycle

The eggs are pale green and are laid in clusters on the host plant leaves. The young gregarious larvae are pale green with four pairs of black thoracic filaments and a black horn on the end of the abdomen. They also have a lateral stripe which is mainly white. The older solitary larvae are grass green with two pairs of red horns on the thorax and one on the end of the abdomen. There are a number of silvered horns across the abdomen. The supraspiracular stripe is red and white. The body is dotted with white spots. The very similar-looking Bisected honey locust moth larva has green horns and lacks the red in the supraspiracular stripe. The dark chrysalis is made in a cell under ground. It hibernates as a chrysalis. [4] The honey locust moth has three broods per year, the first adults being grayish, the second yellow to orange brown, and the third being darker with more spotting. [3]

Host plants

Here is a list of host plants used by the honey locust moth:

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cabbage moth</span> Species of moth

The cabbage moth is primarily known as a pest that is responsible for severe crop damage of a wide variety of plant species. The common name, cabbage moth, is a misnomer as the species feeds on many fruits, vegetables, and crops in the genus Brassica. Other notable host plants include tobacco, sunflower, and tomato, making this pest species particularly economically damaging.

<i>Actias selene</i> Species of moth

Actias selene, the Indian moon moth or Indian luna moth, is a species of saturniid moth from Asia. It was first described by Jacob Hübner in 1807. This species is popular among amateur entomologists and is often reared from eggs or cocoons that are available from commercial sources. They fly mainly at night.

<i>Acherontia styx</i> Species of moth

Acherontia styx, the lesser death's head hawkmoth or bee robber, is a sphingid moth found in Asia, one of the three species of death's-head hawkmoth. It is very fond of honey, and bee keepers have reported finding dead moths in their hives as a result of bee stings. They can mimic the scent of bees so that they can enter a hive unharmed to get honey. Their tongue, which is stout and very strong, enables them to pierce the wax cells of the beehive and suck the honey out. They are also known to be a pest of yuzu in South Korea, using their tongue to pierce and damage the fruit.

<i>Daphnis nerii</i> Species of moth

Daphnis nerii, the oleander hawk-moth or army green moth, is a moth of the family Sphingidae. It was described by Carl Linnaeus in his 1758 10th edition of Systema Naturae.

<i>Hippotion celerio</i> Species of moth

Hippotion celerio, the vine hawk-moth or silver-striped hawk-moth, is a moth of the family Sphingidae. It was described by Carl Linnaeus in his 1758 10th edition of Systema Naturae.

<i>Mythimna separata</i> Species of moth

Mythimna separata, the northern armyworm, oriental armyworm or rice ear-cutting caterpillar, is a moth of the family Noctuidae. It is found in China, Japan, South-east Asia, India, eastern Australia, New Zealand, and some Pacific islands. It is one of the major pests of maize in Asia. The species was first described by Francis Walker in 1865.

<i>Macroglossum divergens</i> Species of moth

Macroglossum divergens, the broad-bordered hummingbird hawkmoth, is a moth of the family Sphingidae. It was described by Jean Baptiste Boisduval in 1875. It is found from north-eastern Sikkim, India across southern China to Cheju Island, southern Japan, Taiwan and the Philippines and then south through Vietnam, Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia to New Guinea and neighbouring islands. It may be in Sri Lanka.

<i>Macroglossum insipida</i> Species of moth

Macroglossum insipida, the hermit hummingbird hawkmoth, is a moth of the family Sphingidae. It was described by Arthur Gardiner Butler in 1875.

<i>Artena dotata</i> Species of moth

Artena dotata is a species of moth of the family Erebidae. It is found from the Indian subregion to Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Japan, Sumatra and Borneo.

<i>Eudocima phalonia</i> Species of moth

Eudocima phalonia, the common fruit-piercing moth, is a fruit piercing moth of the family Erebidae. The species was first described by Carl Linnaeus in his 1763 Centuria Insectorum. It is found in large parts of the tropics, mainly in Asia, Africa and Australia but introduced into other areas such as Hawaii, New Zealand and the Society Islands. It is one of major fruit pests in the world.

<i>Eudocima homaena</i> Species of moth

Eudocima homaena is a moth of the family Erebidae first described by Jacob Hübner in 1816. It is found in the Indian subregion, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Taiwan, the Nicobars, Peninsular Malaysia, Borneo, the Philippines and on Christmas Island. It is a major pest on orange plants.

<i>Eudocima salaminia</i> Species of moth

Eudocima salaminia, the green fruit-piercing moth, is a moth of the family Erebidae. The species was first described by Pieter Cramer in 1777. It is found from India, and across south-east Asia to the Pacific Islands. In Australia it occurs in the Northern Territory, Queensland and New South Wales. The adult is a fruit piercer.

<i>Urapteroides astheniata</i> Species of moth

Urapteroides astheniata is a moth of the family Uraniidae first described by Achille Guenée in 1857. It is found in south-east Asia, from India, Sri Lanka to Fiji, including New Guinea and the tropical north of Australia.

<i>Rhagastis albomarginatus</i> Species of moth

Rhagastis albomarginatus is a moth of the family Sphingidae.

<i>Ambulyx substrigilis</i> Species of moth

Ambulyx substrigilis, the dark-based gliding hawkmoth, is a species of moth of the family Sphingidae. It was described by John O. Westwood in 1847.

<i>Serrodes campana</i> Species of moth

Serrodes campana is a species of moth of the family Erebidae first described by Achille Guenée in 1852. It is found from the Indo-Australian tropics to eastern Australia, Fiji, Samoa and New Caledonia. It is also present in Japan, Korea and Sri Lanka. The adult is a fruit piercer, but also feeds on flower nectar.

<i>Cyana peregrina</i> Species of moth

Cyana peregrina is a moth of the family Erebidae. It is found in India and Sri Lanka. The habitat consists of forests.

<i>Ischyja manlia</i> Species of moth

Ischyja manlia is a species of moth of the family Noctuidae first described by Pieter Cramer in 1776. It is found in the Indian subregion, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Thailand, China, Okinawa, Sundaland, Sulawesi, Korea, the southern Moluccas, Australia (Queensland) and Palau. Adults pierce the skin of fruit to suck the juice.

<i>Adaina montanus</i> Species of plume moth

Adaina montanus is a moth of the family Pterophoridae. It is found in North America, including south-eastern Canada and the north-eastern United States.

<i>Gadirtha fusca</i> Species of moth

Gadirtha fusca is a moth of the family Nolidae. It is found in east-central and south-eastern China.

References

  1. Harris, Thaddeus William (1841). A Report on the Insects of Massachusetts, Injurious to Vegetation. Cambridge: Folsom, Wells, and Thurston. p. 293.
  2. Neumoegen, B. (1885). "Descriptions of New Lepidoptera". Entomologica Americana. 1 (5): 94.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Covell, Charles V. Jr. (2005). Moths of Eastern North America. Martinsville, VA.: Virginia Museum of Natural History. ISBN   1-884549-21-7.
  4. 1 2 Wagner, David L. (2005). Caterpillars of Eastern North America. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press. ISBN   0-691-12144-3.